Apple hires fashion guru as wearable tech comes into vogue

The company’s founder was known for his jeans and turtlenecks, but tomorrow’s Apple needs to think about wearable tech’s fashion sense.

— Dennis Schaal

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Luxury and technology have taken a step closer together with the announcement that Paul Deneve, head of the Yves Saint Laurent fashion house, is joining Apple. The tech giant confirmed the move, saying Deneve will work on unspecified “special projects” for Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook.

Deneve returns to Apple at a time when its brand has become “a little bit tired,” says Richard Windsor, an independent technology consultant. “Everyone’s got an Apple product now; it’s not exclusive any more.” Moving into wearable tech, though, “offers a new growth opportunity,” Windsor says. Apple needs to grasp the opportunity quickly, though, as rivals are developing their own wearable devices.